If you know me, I’ve always kept quite a distance from mainstream sports and politics. Although neither is inherently evil, both organizations often carry an underlying ulterior motive: someone gains wealth while someone else is taken advantage of for personal gain. One of the more challenging aspects of truly allowing the Bible to speak for itself—without adding or subtracting anything—is to be aware of the filters we may use unconsciously to understand these sacred texts. M

If we understand that prayer is communication between ourselves and an incredibly close, yet powerfully sovereign and omniscient God, we can

TOV Devo Over the years, I have become quite fond of Christian songwriters who understand theology and the impact of the words that we declare.  Without realizing it, many of us often sing worship songs, or even belt out a resounding “amen!” when we hear powerful truth spoken through a message, yet there seems to be a disconnect when it comes to us living out the words that we declare. Revelation ends with what the Bible began with, our return to Eden, the sacred, most divine

Sardis, the ancient capital of Lydia, had a reputation for being financially affluent, often times carrying a reputation of false security.  God, through the Bible, continually shows humans how our thoughts are simply different than God’s thoughts.  To this church Jesus addresses their reputation of "good works" or even giving life to the community, but reveals that what may look like good fruits in our eyes isn’t always necessarily how God sees kingdom fruit.    “I know your

Pergamum, the city where Satan lives…   Pergamum , an affluent Greek city which used to lie in northwestern Anotolia, now modern day Turkey, was known of having a body of believers that were steadfast in their allegiance to Jesus, yet had compromised the set apart standards God has established for his people.  There are two elements that seem to have challenged humans full faith in God, both sex and money.  Although Jesus doesn’t bring up money to this church, he did bring up

This is a message for the Commissioning of Tim Gleason given on 8/31/2025 5 Gates Church. Rockford, Ill. Intro. Years ago, I was a part...

We all have interests that capture our attention. Sometimes these interests manifest as hobbies, and those hobbies can even develop into...

Life is hard We work hard, laugh hard, love hard . Work Hard All good things require sacrifice, not just our salvation.  Work however is...

Is the role of a pastor today what the Bible depicts?   At some point, there seems to have been a switch from a shepherd’s staff to an office door when it comes to the pastoral role within a church.  If this is true, how did we get to where we are today, and what can we do about it?   One dynamic I believe that has led many of us off track is the misunderstanding of Biblical texts and its narrative.  Whether we go to church or don’t even believe in God, the protestant revolut

Walking with Jesus “Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer”   Wow, what a week it’s been! We've have gotten to see and learn some incredible...

The Servant Heart of Jesus   Hey Family! Welcome to evening three of our Walk with Jesus.  Can you still feel the dust from Israel on...

Walking with Jesus God sees the Heart, not the age.   Families, welcome to the second evening of our journey with Jesus!     We are doing...

Hey VBS family!! We are so excited your child has been with us for the beginning of our Walking With Jesus adventure this week! Today we...

Interview Conversation on Bearing One Another’s Burdens    Paul-Example of Uncle and friends encouraging weightlifting.    Let’s first...

I have long been somewhat of an adrenaline junkie, but I have found nothing more adventurous than following Jesus.  As a young boy, my...

Are addictions a sign of an inability to resist or is there more to the story? Weddings often display the best and worst of dancers and exposes those who simply refuse to try. Could it be possible that we do the same when it comes to the healing and freedom that Jesus wants to offer us?

The Day of Ascension is far more than another day on the church calendar. For followers of Jesus, because of this day we can rightfully...

We love names. Family names, sports team names, last names, first names, regional names, city, state, and even country names.

The Power of a Mother The Bible often indicates the power of humans. Not only are we designed to bear the image of the God of all...

Before you start reading, I would simply ask to put down any personal defenses that could be built up. This post isn't to stick a finger...